


live for the fight (when it's all that you've got)

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: 1940s but also kinda not au, F/F, mechanic AU, pilot AU, warnings: knives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 16,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23774575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: “Who do you think has it?” Kaylee Klein asks, patting her excitedly on the arm. “I think it’ll be Nick for sure.”“No way. The Cobalt Echo has his number.”Kaylee rolls her eyes. “You and that damn plane.”“That damn plane has a pretty good record on this track. I place my bets wisely.”
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 21
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

Alyssa Greene cheers as she watches the planes chase each other around the pylons, speeding faster and faster as they approach the final loops.

“Who do you think has it?” Kaylee Klein asks, patting her excitedly on the arm. “I think it’ll be Nick for sure.”

“No way. The Cobalt Echo has his number.”

Kaylee rolls her eyes. “You and that damn plane.”

_ “That damn plane _ has a pretty good record on this track. I place my bets wisely.”

“Fine then. Five bucks says the Red Bolt takes this race.”

Alyssa hesitates only briefly before shaking Kaylee’s hand. “Five bucks says the Cobalt Echo does.”

“What are we betting on?” Shelby Gonzales asks, taking a seat on Alyssa’s other side.

“Who’s going to win the race,” Kaylee replies, reaching over Alyssa to steal some of Shelby’s popcorn.

“Oh. The Crimson Spark, obviously.”

Kaylee scoffs. “Kevin’s in  _ last place.” _

“It’s his strategy!”

Alyssa just smiles as her two friends continue to bicker, watching the bright blue plane zip across the sky.

* * *

“Hey! Nolan! I need more speed!”

Emma Nolan sighs and pauses in the middle of replacing a worn tire on Nick Boomer’s plane. “Speed and stability. The only way I’ll be able to increase speed on your plane much more is to shorten the wings, and that’s-”

“Do it. That Cobalt Bastard has shorter wings.”

“But, Mr. Boomer, I think for your plane and racing style, you’d be better off-”

Nick jabs his finger hard into her sternum. “I didn’t ask you for your opinion,  _ mechanic. _ I’m  _ telling you what to do. _ And I want it done by the next race.”

Emma grits her teeth. “Yes, sir.”

* * *

“Go home, Miss Greene, it’s late.”

Alyssa smiles up at Angie Dickinson as the secretary puts on her coat. “I will. I’m just finishing up some paperwork.”

Angie laughs and shakes her head. “Sometimes I swear you do more work for this company than even your own mother does.”

“Don’t tell her that. She’ll think it’s an accomplishment.”

Angie laughs again and leaves.

Alyssa finishes writing up her account of the race, then pulls the paper out of her typewriter. She takes the necklace from around her neck and uses the key on it to unlock the bottom drawer of her desk, sliding the piece into its place in a hanging folder. She shuts and locks the drawer again, then puts her necklace back on.

As she stands and picks up her coat, she notices out the window that the lights in one of the hangers are still on. With a frown, she turns off her desk light and walks out of the office.

* * *

Emma gives a soft groan and rubs a hand over her face as she sits on the wing of Nick’s plane. Her coveralls are unbuttoned to her waist, the arms tied around her so they don’t hang, her white undershirt stained with grease and oil.

She picks up a screwdriver and starts to undo another piece of the wing, but she jumps when a voice says, “What are you still doing in here?”

Emma turns around, her face feeling hot the moment her gaze falls on Alyssa Greene. “H-Hi.”

Alyssa gives her a soft smile. “Hi there. What are you still doing here? Didn’t your shift end hours ago?”

“I-I’m not putting in for overtime, Miss Greene, I just need to-”

“Emma,” Alyssa interrupts gently. “That’s not what I’m asking.”

Emma lets out a ragged breath. “Mr. Boomer wants me to modify his plane. It’s not a quick process, miss. Working on it overnight is the only way I’ll be able to get it done by the next race.”

Alyssa frowns. “You’re not required to do that. You’re certainly not required to do it for free.”

“He made it pretty clear that he wants it done, miss. I don’t mind.”

“I mind,” Alyssa says quietly. She pauses, and Emma thinks, just for a moment, that her gaze quickly skims Emma up and down. “Clock your hours, Emma. Would you at least do that if you’re going to be in here all night?”

“If you’d like me to, miss.”

“I would. Very much.” Alyssa buttons up her coat. “The next time Mr. Boomer asks you to do something, Emma, run the timetable by me. If it’s impractical, I’ll deal with him myself.”

Emma hesitates. “I wouldn’t want to put you out, Miss Greene. I can handle extra work.”

“I know you can,” Alyssa says with a smile. “But it’s not his job to dole that extra work out. Got it?”

Emma nods.

“Good.” Alyssa puts her hands in her pockets. “Have a nice night, Emma. Try to get some sleep if you can.”

“I’ll try. Goodnight, Miss Greene.” Emma watches Alyssa leave, then gives a soft, happy whistle as she goes back to her work.

* * *

“I don’t know who I’ll go with to the winter social,” Kaylee says as she, Shelby, and Alyssa walk through the center of town.

Alyssa frowns. “I thought you were dating Nick.”

“Kind of, but I probably won’t be by then. He gets more and more annoying every time he loses to the Cobalt Echo.”

“I think he was just always that annoying,” Shelby says, earning herself a playful elbow from Kaylee. She glances at Alyssa. “Speaking of Mr. Blue Plane. Who is he, Lys?”

Alyssa blinks at her. “How should I know?”

“Oh,  _ please,” _ Kaylee laughs. “Your family owns three of the best racing planes in the state and you’re a wannabe racing journalist. You don’t honestly expect us to believe that  _ you _ don’t know who’s under that helmet.”

“I really don’t know,” Alyssa says, a prickle of irritation creeping up her spine. “And making me feel like I  _ should _ know isn’t going to make me want to go out find out for you.”

“Really? It’s not?” Shelby gives her a smug smirk. “You’re sure you’re not already thinking through options of how to do it?”

“I’m really not,” Alyssa insists.

Shelby and Kaylee exchange a glance. “Sure,” Kaylee says. “We believe you.”

* * *

“Hi, Gran,” Emma murmurs as she steps into her house.

Betsy Nolan stands up from the kitchen table and walks over to her, taking her face in her hands. “Emma Nolan, you look like death.”

“Thanks. Appreciate it.”

“Go shower and take a nap. I’ll fix up a hot meal for you.”

Emma shakes her head. “I still have work to do, Gran.”

“Child, you’ll work yourself into an early grave if you don’t take a break.”

“Just a bit more. It’s okay.” Emma kisses her on the cheek. “I’ll come home for dinner in an hour, and then I’ll get some sleep. I promise.”

“Sleep  _ and _ a shower.”

Emma laughs. “Sleep  _ and _ a shower.”

* * *

“Alyssa, honey, why are you getting home so late?”

Alyssa winces on the bottom step of the stairs and turns to face her mother as she steps out of the living room. “Oh. Uhm. I was just getting some work done.”

“Sweetheart, why do you work so hard? I built our company so that you wouldn’t  _ need _ to work there. You can live comfortably and then one day you’ll own it and continue to do so.”

“Mother, I don’t want that. I want to have a hand in what we’re doing.”

Mrs. Greene pats her on the cheek, just a bit patronizingly. “You young people are always so determined to get your hands dirty. I’ll never understand it. You’ll grow out of it eventually.” She waves a hand dismissively. “One of the servants will bring you dinner if you wish to eat. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Alyssa bites back a sigh. “See you in the morning, Mother.”

* * *

Emma rides her old bike two miles straight from the back of her grandmother’s house, until she reaches a small building hidden out in their farmland. She leans her bike against the side of the building, then slips inside the door.

Emma climbs over a toolbox that she left on the floor a few days prior and walks over to the plane resting in the middle of the hanger. She reaches up, brushing her hand softly across the bright blue paint.


	2. Chapter 2

“Gosh darnit,” Alyssa mumbles, fumbling with the ‘e’ key on her typewriter.

“Problem, miss?”

She looks up and gives Emma a flustered smile. “One of my keys keeps sticking. It’s just annoying. What do you need?”

“I just wanted to let you know that the adjustment to Mr. Boomer’s plane is finished. He should take it through some paces before the next race so he can get a feel for it.”

“I’ll let him know. Thank you, Emma.”

Emma gives her a bashful grin and rubs the back of her neck. “Oh, it’s no trouble, Miss Greene. It’s my job, after all.”

“I know. Thank you, anyway.” Alyssa leans back in her chair and stretches. “Did you clock your hours?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Alyssa goes back to her typewriter, smiling. “I’ll let you get back to your day, then.”

“Thanks,” Emma says with a nod as she turns and heads back out of the office.

* * *

Towards the end of the day, Emma nervously knocks on Alyssa’s door again.

“Twice in one day?” Alyssa gives her a bright grin that makes Emma’s heart do a swoopy leap straight to her throat. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“U-Uh…” Emma clears her throat and uses her screwdriver to point at Alyssa’s typewriter. “May I?”

Alyssa blinks, adorably confused, and pushes back her chair with a gesture towards the typewriter. “Please.”

Emma picks it up carefully and sets it on the floor in front of Alyssa’s desk, sitting down with her legs on either side of it. She starts to unscrew the cover as she says, “Typewriters can be fickle little things. Sometimes I have to fix my grandmother’s back home.”

“I usually just bang on it until it works.”

Emma laughs. “You should be gentle with it. It’s doing its best.” She removes the ink bobbins and sets them on a small cloth, then uses another cloth wrapped around her screwdriver to clean between the keys.

“Can I ask you something, Emma?”

“Well, sure, Miss Greene.”

“Are you happy?”

Emma looks up at her, frowning. “What do you mean?”

Alyssa shrugs, staring down at one of the drawers of her desk. “With your job, I guess. I’m not asking as your boss or anything. I just want to know if… I don’t know.”

“I mean…” Emma runs a hand through her hair. “Yeah, I guess I’m happy. I’m doing the kind of work I love to do. That’s all a person could really ask for, right?”

“I suppose.” Alyssa rubs the back of her neck, stretching it a bit, and Emma catches herself watching the movement of her jaw. “My friends are all excited about this winter social that’s coming up in a few weeks. And I am happy that I’m going, but I’m not interested in finding a date. I can’t quite figure out why.” She lets out a soft sigh. “If you could go to the dance with anybody, who would you go with?”

Emma blinks, surprised. “Me?”

“Yeah, you. Isn’t there anybody you’re looking at?”

Emma stares at her. “No, miss.” She clears her throat and starts applying some lubricant between the typewriter keys. “Honestly, I’m not even going.”

“You aren’t? Why not?”

“Work.”

Alyssa sighs. “Emma. I’m  _ pretty sure _ your boss would give you off for  _ one night.” _

“I know. Really, Miss Greene, I’m not interested.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.” Emma begins putting the typewriter back together. “I’m surprised a pretty woman like you doesn’t have men lining up to volunteer to be your date so you don’t even have to  _ think _ about looking.”

“I’ve had some offers, but I turned them down.” She scowls. “I’m not going to a dance with Greg Mitchell.”

Emma snorts. “I think even his plane has two left feet.”

Alyssa laughs. “I think you might be right. It would explain his record.”

Emma stands and sets Alyssa’s typewriter back on her desk. “There. Shouldn’t give you any problems for a while.”

“Thank you, Emma,” Alyssa says as she stands as well.

“Really, it’s not a problem, Miss Greene.”

“No.” Alyssa sets her hand on top of Emma’s. “Really. Thank you. For the typewriter, and for listening.”

Emma tries and probably fails to fight back her blush as she glances down at their hands. “Any time, Miss Greene.” She slides her hand out from under Alyssa’s slowly, then goes and collects her things. “I should be going,” she says quietly.

“If you must.” Alyssa escorts her to the door, but before she leaves, Alyssa sets a hand on her arm. “Let me know. If you change your mind about the winter social. I’ll make sure you can be there.”

“I don’t think I will. But if I do, Miss Greene, you’ll be the first to know.” Emma gives her a soft smile, then turns and walks away.

* * *

Alyssa throws her hands up and gives a victorious shout as the Cobalt Echo zips across the finish line.

Kaylee groans beside her. “That guy is making you a ton of money, Lys.”

“Maybe you should just stop betting her, Kay,” Shelby says calmly.

“She never will,” Alyssa says gleefully as she collects her winnings. “She’s afraid that the one time she doesn’t, Nick will win.”

_ “God. _ Nick. He’s going to be a pain in the ass. Can you ask your flyboy to let him win just  _ once _ so that I don’t have to keep hearing about it?”

Alyssa scoffs. “Then he just wouldn’t shut up about beating the Cobalt Echo.”

Kaylee pauses, then her shoulders droop. “I hate that you’re right.”

Shelby laughs. “Hey, Alyssa, maybe you should take Cobalt to the winter social. It’s a masquerade. Maybe he’d show up if he didn’t need to show his face.”

Alyssa rolls her eyes. “Somehow I doubt it.”

“Well, there’s your chance,” Kaylee comments, pointing at the pilot sitting on the edge of their plane’s wing, helmet still on, waiting for the twenty dollar bill of their prize money to be delivered to them.

It’s the same process every victory. The pilot waits at their plane, never speaks, receives their prize, and then flies off. No interview, no comment, no showmanship.

In a way, it only made them look all the more confident.

“You know what? Fine.  _ Fine!” _ Alyssa storms away from her friends. “If you want me to talk to the flyboy,  _ fine!” _

* * *

Emma sits on the wing of her plane, not paying attention to the bustle around her.

Twenty dollars. Another twenty dollars means keeping the farm longer, more fuel for her plane, a few days sooner that her grandmother can retire.

She’ll add it to the box hidden under the floorboards in her room, maybe. Or one of the jars buried around her hanger. Maybe the suitcase under the false floor in her closet.

Someday, the secrets will be worth it.

_ “Hey!” _

She snaps out of her thoughts with a sigh, expecting another reporter trying to finally get the mysterious race pilot to speak.

But when she looks up, she finds herself instead looking at Alyssa Greene.

And she knows she’s screwed.

Emma practically falls off of the wing in her haste to get to the ground, panicking, convinced that Alyssa, of all people, will know it’s her, Alyssa, of all people, will blow the charade and ruin everything.

She’s completely taken aback when Alyssa smiles and tucks a strand of her dark hair behind an ear and says, “That was quite a race, flyboy. Or do I need to call you Cobalt Echo.”

Oh, God, Alyssa Greene knows who she is  _ as a pilot. _

Hidden behind her helmet, Emma feels a surge of confidence that she’s never once felt around Alyssa Greene. Emboldened by her win, her disguise, and the need for deception, she straightens her posture, deepens her voice just a bit, adds a cocky kind of confidence to her tone, and laughs.

“For you, darlin’, flyboy is just fine.”

Alyssa tilts her head, just a little, lowering her voice as she says, “You’re a woman.”

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them.” Emma leans in and whispers, “So why don’t we keep that between you and me, Alyssa Greene?”

“You know who I am?”

“How could I not? You’re racing royalty.” Emma grins and leans against her plane. “Though, I have to say, your pilots don’t have much on me.”

Alyssa laughs. “Is that so? Well, I guess it’s a good thing I place my bets on  _ you.” _

Emma almost chokes and loses her cool demeanor, and only saves it at the last moment. “I’m flattered. I guess I’ll have to keep winning.”

“I’d certainly enjoy it. I like watching you race.”

“I like racing.”

“You’ve never much liked talking before now.”

“Reporters like getting in my business. I don’t like talking about my business.”

Alyssa puts her hands in the pockets of her dress. “Can I confess something, then?”

“I’m no priest, Alyssa Greene.”

Alyssa laughs again, and Emma mentally writes herself a note to do nothing but strive for that sound for the rest of her life. “I’m aware. But it wouldn’t be right of me not to tell you that I’m something of a reporter myself.”

“Is that so?” Emma asks, wincing at that edge of disappointment in her voice.

“Yes. Every time I leave a race, I write about what I saw. What I felt. The whole experience. Someday I hope to put them all together into a book about what it’s like to watch planes race across the sky.” Alyssa shrugs. “I’ll never be a true race reporter, so it’s the best I can do to get close.”

Emma turns to accept her cash from one of the race officials, then waves him away from their conversation before turning back to Alyssa.

If she was smart, she wouldn’t open her mouth.

If she wasn’t so hopelessly gone for Alyssa Greene, she wouldn’t open her mouth.

She opens her stupid mouth.

“Are you going to the winter social?”

Alyssa raises an eyebrow. “I am, yes.”

“I am as well. I’ll find you there.”

“You’re asking me for a dance, flyboy?” Alyssa has an odd look in her eyes, somewhere between curiosity and confusion.

“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed, but that’s not my specific intention. I’m going to give you an interview, Alyssa Greene.”

Alyssa’s eyes widen. “What?”

“You want to be a race reporter?”

Alyssa nods slowly.

“How would you like to be the only race reporter to ever get an interview with the Cobalt Echo?”


	3. Chapter 3

“Are you  _ sure _ you don’t want to come?”

Emma laughs and leans out of the cockpit of Kevin’s plane. “I’m really sure, Miss Greene. I need to adjust these instruments.”

Alyssa sighs, adjusting her dress. “As long as you’re positive.”

“I am.” Emma pauses. “I hope you don’t mind me saying, miss, but you look stunning.”

“Thank you, Emma,” Alyssa says with a smile. “I’m meeting a… guest.”

“Oh? You got yourself a date? I knew you would.”

“No,” Alyssa insists, blushing. “Not a date. It’s a… work call.”

Emma grins. “And you call me a workaholic.”

Alyssa laughs. “You  _ are!” _

“Maybe it takes one to know one.” Emma runs a hand through her hair. “Have a nice night, Miss Greene.”

“You too, Emma.”

Once Alyssa is gone, Emma jumps out of the plane and runs into the small room where she keeps her belongings while she works. She opens her locker and stares at the dress clothes inside.

“Oh man,” she whispers. “I’m really doing this.”

* * *

Alyssa walks through the party, her long, pale pink dress just covering the toes of her heels. She adjusts her mask, a glittering white with flowers at the edges.

She realizes only then that she has no idea who to look for.

As she wanders, studying the partial faces that pass her by, someone taps her on the shoulder.

She turns, and her breath catches in her throat.

The person standing in front of her is in black shoes, black pants, a crisp black shirt, and white suspenders. Their tie is a sparkling cobalt blue, their hair is hidden under a white fedora, and their face is obscured above the mouth by a raven mask. There are dark lenses in the mask that shade their eyes from view, but, despite it all, Alyssa knows it’s her pilot.

“Champagne, Alyssa Greene?”

Alyssa reaches out and takes the glass with a small nod of thanks. “You can just call me Alyssa, flyboy.”

The pilot’s cocky grin takes her breath away. “I’d be honored. You knew it was me?”

“How could I not?”

“You never know. Maybe I’m good at disguises.” The pilot shrugs and holds out her arm for Alyssa to take. “Shall we?”

“I think we shall.” Alyssa lets the pilot lead her through the party, skirting the dance floor. “What made you decide to let me be the one to interview you?”

“You seem like you need someone to give you a shot. I can understand that.”

“Is that why you became a pilot?”

She laughs sharply. “Oh, is the interview starting already?”

“The interview started the moment I first spoke to you at your plane, flyboy,” Alyssa says, a note of challenge in her voice.

“I’ll take that under advisement. And if you don’t mind, I’d rather we step somewhere a bit more private to have this conversation. Your article would be published, I’m aware, but I’d rather not be spied on regardless.”

“I can accept that.” Alyssa squeezes the pilot’s arm. “Lead the way.”

She follows the pilot up to a balcony above the party, still public enough that she feels safe, but private enough that they can talk. She reaches into her small clutch purse and pulls out a little notepad and a pencil.

“Mind if I take notes?”

“Not at all.” The pilot leans on the railing, and Alyssa sees the back of their hair sticking from under their hat. It looks like it’s been darkened almost black by some sort of material, but before she can wonder about it much, the pilot says, “Before we get started, you look gorgeous.”

“Well, thank you,” Alyssa says, flushing a little.

“Where do you want to start?”

Alyssa leans next to her. “I guess from the beginning. How did you become a pilot?”

“My grandfather was a pilot in the war. He taught me how to fly when I was a kid.”

“Did he teach you how to race, too?”

The pilot laughs. “No, he thought racing was a waste of good fuel. I’m in it for the money.”

Alyssa raises an eyebrow.

“I don’t mean it in a bad way. It’s to help my family.”

“Ah.” Alyssa is surprised by the twist of disappointment in her stomach. “You’re married?”

“Huh? Oh. No. I don’t mean that kind of family. I mean relatives.”

“Oh, right, right.” Alyssa jots some notes. “Pretty honorable for a cocky flyboy.”

“You think I’m honorable?” the pilot asks.

“Don’t sound so proud of yourself.”

“I’m going to anyway.” The pilot straightens a bit, leaning on the railing with only one hand. “Come on, Alyssa. I know that neither of those is your  _ big _ question.”

Alyssa squints at her. “Why do you hide your face?”

The pilot leans in. “Because it’s much more exciting this way, isn’t it?”

Alyssa swallows, a twisting feeling in her gut that makes her nervous. “Yes,” she whispers. “It is.”

* * *

“Do you have everything you need?” Emma asks as she escorts Alyssa back down the stairs.

“I think so. There’s so many questions.”

“Dance with me,” Emma says.

Alyssa blinks at her. “What?”

“Dance with me, Alyssa.”

Alyssa glances at the dance floor, then at Emma’s hand. She gives a small nod before she takes it and allows Emma to pull her into the mix.

As Emma leads her in a dance, she says, “Your other questions. Do you need them to write your article?”

“No. Our time in the balcony covered a lot.”

“Then write your article. And tomorrow night, meet me in the graveyard at St. Monroe’s.”

“A graveyard? You do have a flair for the dramatic, don’t you, flyboy?”

Emma grins. “Perhaps I do, Alyssa.”

Alyssa studies her for a moment. “If I do, what do I get?”

“More answers. Possibly just not ones I’d like published. What would you say to that?”

“I’d ask what time you’ll be in the graveyard.”

“An hour past dusk.”

Alyssa pulls Emma closer to her and lowers her voice to a whisper. “I’ll be there.”

* * *

“I should be leaving,” the pilot says as they leave the dance floor. “I wasn’t planning on staying long.”

“Afraid someone might reveal you, flyboy.”

The pilot pauses. “To be honest, Alyssa? Yes.”

Alyssa sets a hand on the pilot’s arm. “I understand. I’ll go write my article. And I’ll be seeing you.”

The pilot grins at her. “I’ll be seeing you, Alyssa Greene.”

She turns and disappears into the crowd. Alyssa watches her go, the strange twisty feeling back in her stomach.

* * *

Emma finishes pulling her coveralls back on just as she hears Alyssa walk into the hanger.

_ “Emma?” _

She bolts out of the small room, buttoning the last button. “Hey,” she says with a smile. “Sorry, miss, I was just taking a break.”

Alyssa laughs as Emma picks up a wrench. “You take breaks?”

“Very funny.” Emma starts putting the new tire on Greg’s plane, a task she set up before she left for the dance. “How was the party?”

“It was nice. I think I made a new friend.”

“That’s good. Anybody I’d know?”

“...Possibly.” Alyssa carefully sits down on a stool. “Emma, if I told you a secret, would you swear not to tell anyone else?”

Emma sets her wrench down and sits on the floor, looking up at her. “Well, sure, Miss Greene. What is it?”

“I…” Alyssa glances around as if making sure they’re alone, then whispers, “I met the Cobalt Echo.”

Emma momentarily thinks she’s going to pass out. “O-Oh?”

“I can’t tell you why. Can’t tell you anything about them. But Emma, they’re incredible.”

“That’s nice to hear,” Emma says as she goes back to replacing the tire.

“I wish you could’ve been there. I would’ve loved for you to meet them.”

Emma glances up at her, surprised. “Why me?”

“You’re…” Alyssa shrugs. “Heck, I don’t know. You’re Emma. Why wouldn’t I want that?”

Emma starts to respond, then decides not to, looking back down at her work.

Alyssa gives a small laugh and stands, picking up a cloth from a nearby toolbox. “Emma, you’re covered in grease again.” She crouches down, ignoring her dress and the filthy floor, using the cloth to wipe grease off of the back of Emma’s neck. “You should stop running your hands through your hair. You’re getting the grime everywhere.”

“It’s a force of habit I…” Emma looks up, her breath halting when she sees how close Alyssa is. “...guess.”

They just stare at each other, Alyssa’s hand resting softly on the back of Emma’s neck.

“I-I-I need to go get screwed-  _ screws! _ I need screws!” Her face red hot, Emma scrambles away and bolts to the parts room at the back of the hanger.

* * *

Alyssa stands as she watches Emma go. She sets her hand over her heart, thumping rapidly in her chest, her breathing quick and uneven.

“Oh,” she whispers.


	4. Chapter 4

Emma gives a lopsided grin when she knocks on the door of Alyssa’s office. “Can I help you, miss?”

“Oh, uhm, yes, Emma, the keys on my typewriter seem to have gotten stuck again,” Alyssa says, standing at her desk, rubbing her hands together as if she’s flustered.

“They did?” Emma picks the typewriter up and sets it down on the floor, taking her screwdriver out of the pocket of her coveralls. “It shouldn’t have happened this quickly.”

“Well, you know these typewriters,” Alyssa says with a strained laugh.

As Emma takes the typewriter apart, checking each and every key for possible damage, Alyssa sits on the edge of her desk to watch.

“You’re quite the versatile mechanic.”

Emma shrugs. “My grandfather wouldn’t let me help him fix his plane until I was older, so he got me started by having me fix things around the farm. Tractors, mowers, bicycles, anything that broke, he’d have me fix. Sometimes he’d just watch and see if I could work it out for myself, sometimes he’d help.”

“You must’ve been with him a lot if you’re as skilled as I know you are.”

“I, uh, was raised by my grandparents.”

Alyssa’s brow furrows. “Really? What happened to your parents?”

Emma shrugs and stares at the typewriter. “Dad died in the war. Mom never wanted me anyway, so. I’m glad she dumped me with people who gave a damn instead of throwing me in an orphanage.”

“I’m sorry, Emma,” Alyssa says softly. “I shouldn’t have pried.”

“No, I…” Emma glances up at her, shy. “I don’t mind you knowing, Miss Greene, it’s just a bit embarrassing.”

Alyssa crouches down and sets a hand on Emma’s shoulder. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about,” she whispers.

Emma swallows so loudly she swears Alyssa must’ve heard it. She ducks her head, blushing as she puts the typewriter back together. “I, uhm, I haven’t found anything wrong, miss.”

“Perhaps I was just clumsy.”

“...Perhaps.” Emma holds out her screwdriver, and Alyssa takes it. “In case I’m ever not around to fix it.”

Alyssa takes it with a smile and sets it in the pencil holder on her desk. “In case of emergencies.”

Emma lifts the typewriter back into its place. “Only emergencies, Miss Greene. I’ll be happy to come by personally any time.”

Alyssa smiles, and it fills Emma’s heart with butterflies. “I’ll remember that, Emma.”

* * *

“Are you okay?”

Alyssa looks up, startled, at Shelby’s question. “Yes,” she says quickly. “I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

Shelby raises an eyebrow. “I barely saw you at the winter social, and now you’re just staring off into space.”

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just thinking.”

“It’s always a dangerous day when Alyssa Greene starts thinking,” Shelby says with a laugh. She bumps Alyssa with her shoulder. “Come on, Lys. What’s up?”

“I-I… Could I ask you something? But you have to promise not to tell anyone, not even Kaylee.”

Shelby stops walking. “Alyssa,” she says, her voice cautious. “Is something going on? Are you in trouble?”

“No, I’m not in trouble. I just… Shelby, please promise me.”

“I promise.”

Alyssa closes her eyes briefly and runs a hand through her hair. “Do you… Have you… Have you ever had… feelings… for…” Her voice drops to a whisper. “Another woman?”

Shelby’s eyes go wide. “I-I… Who tol… Uh… I-I mean…” She clears her throat and shrugs. “Not, uh, that I know of. Why?”

Alyssa swallows. “I think I do. And I’m not sure what that means.” She pauses. “Well… No. I do know what it means. It makes everything make so much sense, but, how am I supposed to know if she-”

“I’m going to stop you there,” Shelby says, holding up her hand. “Lys, just talk to her.”

“But I can’t just-”

“For both of your sakes, just talk to her.”

“You’re not helpful,” Alyssa mutters.

Shelby snorts. “Why, because I didn’t give you an answer you liked?”

Alyssa puts her hands in her pockets. “Shut up.”

“Nah.” Shelby puts her arm around Alyssa’s shoulders. “Trust me,” she says softly. “It’s a lot easier on your heart to know how things stand.”

“...Speaking from experience?”

“Maybe.”

Alyssa frowns. “You’ve never told me about a time when-”

“Why don’t we continue talking about  _ you?” _ Shelby interrupts. “Like, who is it that made you come to this realization?”

Alyssa winces. “That’s… another problem.”

“What?”

“I think I’m gaining feelings for two different women.”

Shelby lets out a soft whistle. “Yeah… That’s definitely another problem.”

* * *

“Thanks for dinner, Gran,” Emma says, kissing Betsy on the cheek. “I’m sorry to duck out so fast, but I need to go take care of some things in town.”

“That Greene girl isn’t making you work all night again, is she?”

Emma sighs. “I told you, Gran. That wasn’t Miss Greene’s fault.”

“You can say it all you like. I’m not sure I believe it.”

“Gran, I promise. Miss Greene’s a good boss. She does her best.”

Betsy cups Emma’s face in her hands and kisses her on the forehead. “I only hope she deserves  _ your _ best, sweetheart.”

“She deserves everything,” Emma mumbles.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing, Gran. I might be back late. Don’t wait up for me.” Emma shoulders her bag and runs out the front door as dusk starts to settle.

* * *

Alyssa stands in the graveyard, her coat tight around her, unsure of what she’s doing. This must be a prank of some sort, there’s no way the Cobalt Echo is really going to meet with her again, how long should she-

“You came.”

She spins around, startled, and watches the pilot step out from behind a tombstone.

Her flyboy is in most of the outfit she wore to the dance, all-black with white suspenders, but she’s decided not to wear her tie or hat. Instead, above the raven mask, her hair is darkened almost black and slicked back. Alyssa can tell that black isn’t her real hair color, but the grit, and the night, completely disguises what it really is.

“I came,” Alyssa says softly.

“I wasn’t really sure you would.” The pilot leans against an angel statue. “I’m interesting enough for a follow-up interview, but maybe you’d decide that it wasn’t worth it.”

“No.” Alyssa starts to pace, keeping her eyes on the pilot. “When I wrote the piece on you today, it felt like something was missing. Even if I had no further questions, I would’ve wanted to come here.”

“What were you missing?”

_ “You.” _

The pilot tilts her head. “I don’t understand.”

Alyssa stops pacing. “I feel like I know you.”

The pilot’s jaw tenses. “You’ve seen enough of my races.”

“That’s not what I mean. I feel like I have a connection to you, a connection I’ve only felt with one other person in my life, and I just… I feel like harnessing that is important for really knowing how to write what I’m writing.”

“You… want to write that we’re friends?” the pilot asks, confusion clear in her voice. “Are we friends? You don’t even know my name, Alyssa.”

“That’s not what I mean, flyboy.” Alyssa gives a frustrated shake of her head. “I don’t want people to only see the  _ pilot. _ I want them to see the woman who races to have money for her family. The woman who breaks her rules on interviews to help a stranger chase their dreams. I want them to see  _ you. _ I just don’t know how to do that.” She rubs the back of her neck and mutters, “Maybe Emma will have an idea.”

The pilot coughs. “Who’s Emma?”

“You can trust her.” Alyssa gives a strained laugh. “She’s the only person other than you who I’ve ever felt like this about. Who I  _ feel  _ like this about. And she’s the smartest person I know, so if anybody might have an answer, it’s-”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Alyssa,” the pilot interrupts sharply.

“It’s okay,” Alyssa reassures. “I promise, no one will find out who you are until you want them to.”

“I-I…” The pilot takes in a harsh breath as if she’s about to hyperventilate. “I-I just… remembered that I have to do something tonight. C-Could we meet here tomorrow?”

Alyssa frowns, concerned. “Yes. Same time and place?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Are you oka…” She trails off as she watches the pilot run, worry spreading through her.

* * *

  
Emma runs until she gets to the spot behind the small shop where she stashed her bike. She leans against the wall, gasping for breath, pulling her mask off of her face.

She closes her eyes, head pounding, feeling sick. “Oh God, what am I doing?”


	5. Chapter 5

Alyssa steps through her front door, lost in thought.

“Sweetheart, where were you?” Mrs. Greene asks. “It’s so late, I-”

“I’m an adult, Mother,” Alyssa mutters. “I don’t have a curfew.”

“Well, of course you don’t, but all kinds of riffraff is out at night, and-”

“Maybe you should spend a few hours with the riffraff, Mother,” Alyssa says as she heads up the stairs. “They might surprise you.”

* * *

Emma lays on the wing of a backup plane in the hanger, staring up at the ceiling.

She doesn’t know what to do.

Alyssa’s trust in her has shaken her to her core, and she doesn’t know how to keep lying to her.

She rubs her hands over her face, trying to think, but she’s interrupted when she hears, “Emma?”

Emma scrambles to the edge of the wing, looking down at Alyssa. “Hi,” she says, wincing at the dopey note to her voice.

“Can I come up there and join you?”

“Sure.” Emma holds her hand out and helps pull Alyssa up to the wing.

“Thanks.” Alyssa lies down next to her, comfortably close. “I have a bit of a problem.”

“Did your typewriter break again, miss?”

Alyssa nudges her gently, smiling. “No. I, uh… It’s about the Cobalt Echo.”

Emma tries not to visibly flinch. “Oh?”

“I got an interview with them. I’ve been putting it together into an article, but… there’s something missing from it. Emotion that I can’t figure out how to express.”

“What kind of emotion?”

“I-I… I’m not really sure. It’s… Well, maybe I’m sure, I just… I’m not sure what I think about it all, and I just…”

Emma blinks curiously at her. “Maybe you can’t express it because you don’t know what it is.”

“No.” Alyssa gives a frustrated shake of her head. “I  _ do _ know what it is, I’m just not sure how to say it.”

“Uhm… Hm. I’m not really sure how to help if I don’t know what you’re trying to say, Miss Greene.”

Alyssa rolls onto her side. “Emma,” she whispers. “I don’t know how to show you.”

“What do you mean?”

She hesitates before reaching up and brushing a stray curl behind Emma’s ear. “The emotion. I think I…” She swallows. “I still can’t phrase what it is, but I think it’s related to…” Her voice breaks off in a choked sound.

Emma shifts a bit closer and reaches down, taking Alyssa’s free hand in hers. “Miss Greene,” she murmurs, her voice soothing. “You can tell me anything.”

Alyssa stares at her for a long moment before softly saying, “I’m gay.”

Emma squeezes her hand tightly when she tries to pull away. She meets Alyssa’s gaze, clear and strong. “So am I.”

Alyssa lets out a relieved breath, her eyes glinting with tears, and she rests her head against the wing. “I was worried you’d hate me.”

“I…” Emma gets even closer, cautiously wrapping her arms around Alyssa and holding her. She feels Alyssa take in a shaky breath that feels like she’s starting to cry. “I could never hate you, Alyssa.”

Alyssa clutches at her back and holds her close. “Thank you, Emma.”

* * *

Alyssa opens her eyes with a yawn, confused when she feels someone holding her. She looks up and realizes that she and Emma have fallen asleep on the wing, Emma’s arms still wrapped around her.

She smiles and presses a soft kiss to Emma’s cheek, then jolts fully awake, scrambling to pull away. “Damn. Damn. What time is it?”

“Ow, what?” Emma blinks sleepily up at her, disoriented. She blushes and backs up, sitting and watching Alyssa look around for a clock.

“What time is it?”

Emma glances down at her watch. “Seven.”

“I have to go. I’m supposed to meet the Cobalt Echo soon.”

“Oh… right. Uh. You should go do that.”

Alyssa takes her hand. “Come with me.”

Emma blinks at her. “What?”

“Come with me. If you meet them, they’ll trust you, too, and then maybe you’ll be able to help me understand.”

“I can’t. We fell asleep and I fell way behind on work.”

Alyssa sighs and runs her fingers through her hair. “Okay. You’re right.”

Emma squeezes her hand. “You’ve got this, Miss Greene. It’s okay.”

“I sure hope I do.”

Alyssa has Emma help her down from the wing, then she hurries out of the hanger.

* * *

Emma sits in the small room of the hanger, staring down at the raven mask.

“I think I know what to do,” she whispers.

She sighs and runs a hand over her grease-blackened hair, smoothing it down before she tucks the mask into her bag and heads out to her bike.

* * *

Alyssa paces back and forth, running through her thoughts as she waits in the graveyard.

“You sure do look good in moonlight.”

She stops and turns, smiling softly at the pilot leaning against a nearby tombstone. “Hi.”

“Hi.” The pilot walks forward, hands in her pockets. “I’m sorry for running off yesterday.”

“It’s alright. I’ve been panicking a bit, too, so I understand.”

“I…” The pilot pauses and turns her head. “I’m scared, Alyssa.”

“What could you possibly be scared of, flyboy?” Alyssa asks.

“You. What you’ll think of me.” She shakes her head. “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t lie to you.” She reaches up for her mask.

“Wait,” Alyssa says quickly.

The pilot freezes but says nothing.

Alyssa isn’t even really sure what her plan is, why she stopped her, as she walks forward and stops directly in front of her. She lifts her hand, brushing her palm against the pilot’s cheek.

“No matter what happens,” she murmurs, “you’re still my flyboy.”

She sets her other hand on top of the pilot’s and helps her lift the mask up.

She’s never consciously acknowledged it, but Emma Nolan looks gorgeous in moonlight.

Alyssa lets the mask fall between them and laughs softly as her hand finds its place on Emma’s other cheek. “I hoped it was you,” she whispers.


	6. Chapter 6

Emma backs away until she bumps into a tombstone, fear actually making her shake.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” Alyssa asks, her voice impossibly gentle.

“I-I’ve been lying to you for so long. I…” Emma chokes on tears and drops to her knees. “Please. Please don’t hate me. I can barely live with myself as it is, I’d never forgive myself if-”

_ “Emma.” _ Alyssa rushes forward, alarmed, and kneels in front of her, taking her face in her hands again. “It’s okay.” She pulls Emma’s head down and buries it against her shoulder as she strokes her fingers up and down Emma’s back. “It’s okay,” she murmurs. “I could never hate you, flyboy. Ever.”

Emma keeps shaking, and Alyssa holds her tighter. “I’m not cheating, Miss Greene. I swear I’m not.”

“What…” Alyssa pauses as if the meaning of Emma’s words has only just dawned on her. “Oh, God.”

She feels Alyssa’s grip tighten even more as she babbles, “I tell Nick everything he would need to do to make his plane and his flying the best it can be, but he doesn’t listen. None of them listen. I swear I’ve never sabotaged anything. I swear. I swear to God, I-”

“Emma,” Alyssa interrupts. “Emma, stop.” She pulls out of the hug and cups Emma’s face again. “Look at me.”

Emma meets her gaze with hesitation, and she’s struck by the soft, caring emotion in her eyes.

“I would never think that of you. Ever. I promise. Em, I  _ care about you. _ I-I… God, I’m still struggling to put it into words. I fell for both of you. You and the pilot. The moment I did, I started hoping that it meant you were one and the same, that maybe by some miracle it was you, because I had no idea what I would do if it wasn’t. I… Pilot or mechanic, Emma, I think I’m falling in love with you.”

The words hit Emma like a sledgehammer, and she just stares at Alyssa in a daze for a solid minute.

“I’m sorry,” Alyssa mutters. “That wasn’t… I shouldn’t have…”

“I’ve been in love with you since the day we met,” Emma blurts out as her brain starts to catch up to itself.

Alyssa gives a light laugh and rests her forehead against Emma’s. “I never knew.”

“I’ve been too shy to say anything. You’re my boss.”

“...Yeah, I guess I am. That’s a problem, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know.” Emma swallows and tentatively brushes her thumbs against Alyssa’s back. “I’m not afraid of you being my boss, Miss Greene. I’m scared of what happens if anyone else finds out that I fly.”

Alyssa lifts her head and presses a kiss to Emma’s forehead, and Emma’s breath catches in her throat. “We’ll figure it out. If you’d like.”

“I would.” Emma meets her gaze, eager and hopeful. “I really would.”

* * *

“You seem happier than usual,” Shelby says as she walks beside Alyssa and Kaylee through the center of town.

Alyssa shrugs. “Can’t a girl be happy on a nice day?”

“I don’t trust it.” Kaylee shakes her head. “You’re only happy when you’re taking money from me.”

“Ouch, but somewhat true.” Alyssa puts her hands in the pockets of her dress. “I’m just looking forward to the race today. Aren’t you?”

“Not really,” Kaylee mutters. “I’m at the end of my patience with Nick.”

“Kevin’s getting frustrating, too, and we just hang out sometimes. I can’t imagine consistently dating one of these idiots.”

Alyssa shrugs. “I guess it depends on which one you date.”

Kaylee raises an eyebrow at her. “Does that mean you had more than one quick conversation with the Cobalt Echo?”

“I’m not dating the Cobalt Echo, Kaylee.”

“Damn.”

As her friends walk a bit ahead of her, Alyssa adds under her breath, “Yet.”

* * *

Emma slips behind a grandstand at the race field and takes her helmet off, nerves coursing through her.

She’s never felt  _ scared _ before a race.

“Ready to go, flyboy?”

Emma turns and faces Alyssa with as convincing of a cocky grin as she can manage. “Of course.”

“Hey,” Alyssa says softly, resting her palm against Emma’s cheek. “It’s the same as any other race.”

“Not really,” Emma murmurs. “Not when you know I’m the one flying.”

“I’ve always bet on you because I’ve always believed in you, whether I knew it was you or not.” Alyssa presses a gentle kiss to Emma’s cheek. “That faith isn’t wavering just because I know who’s under the helmet. You’ve never let me down, Em. No matter the outcome of the race, you won’t let me down now. Just go up there and fly.”

Emma lets out a shaky breath. “I’m sorry. You probably expect me to be  _ the Cobalt Echo, _ the person I managed to be when I was wearing a mask, and I’m just… not.”

Alyssa shakes her head. “Don’t you see? You’re  _ both. _ Whichever person you’re  _ more _ of doesn’t matter, Emma. I like you all the same. And no matter what, you’re still the best pilot I’ve ever seen.”

Emma rests her forehead against Alyssa’s. “Will you meet me tonight, after the race? At the graveyard?”

Alyssa smiles. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

* * *

Alyssa finishes typing up her report on the day’s race, smiling as she remembers Emma’s plane crossing the finish line. She puts the report safely in her drawer, then heads out to the hanger.

“Will you be done for the day soon, Emma?” she calls up to Nick’s plane.

Emma leans out of the cockpit and grins. “Yes, miss. Just repairing something.”

“Good.” Alyssa gives her a wink that makes her blush. “I don’t want you working too late.”

“I’ll be sure not to disappoint you, Miss Greene.”

Alyssa laughs and blows her a kiss, grinning when the flush on Emma’s face darkens. “Goodnight, Emma.”

“Goodnight, Miss Greene.”

* * *

It’s getting dark when Emma drops down to the floor of the hanger.

She only needs to do one more thing before she can leave, but she can’t find her knife to do it.

She opens her toolbox, frowning as she shuffles through her tools, and eventually she gives up with a mutter of frustration.

She’ll do it tomorrow. She has a girl to see.

Emma grabs her bag from the back room and heads for the door, pausing with her hand on the doorknob as she hears voices outside.

_ “Are you sure we should be doing this?” _

_ “Relax. They’ll blame it on that worthless mechanic.” _

Emma swallows and takes a few steps back, wincing in a panic as she accidentally kicks the toolbox she left open on the floor.

The voices outside stop immediately.

Emma freezes, too scared to even breathe, then the door opens.

Nick, Kevin, and Greg just stare at her, stunned silent.

Emma regains her sense first, turning to try to run, but Nick lunges after her, faster, grabbing her by the back of her coveralls and throwing her against the wall.

He holds her there with one hand while the other rests her own knife against her throat.

“Well,” he growls. “Nice of you to join us, Nolan.”


	7. Chapter 7

Something’s wrong.

Alyssa  _ knows _ something is wrong.

Emma was right behind her, Emma wouldn’t forget about her, especially not tonight of all nights.

Something’s wrong.

Alyssa stands in the graveyard, nerves shuddering through her, until the anxiety catches up to her and she heads back to her car.

* * *

Emma wakes coughing.

She tries to reach for her aching head and frowns when she realizes she can’t, her wrists tied with ropes to one of the drawers of Alyssa’s desk.

She doesn’t quite remember how she got there, but she knows she needs to get out.

She can smell smoke.

Emma struggles to sit up, blood seeping from her forehead. She’s dazed, and she doesn’t know what to do, but instinct keeps motivating her forward.

Emma tugs on her bindings, unsure of how to free herself, unsure of how to get out. She looks around for something, and her gaze lands on the pencil holder on Alyssa’s desk.

With a small grin, Emma stands awkwardly and kicks the desk repeatedly until the pencil holder falls over, then she leans down and picks up her gifted screwdriver with her mouth.

She sits back down, taking it in one of her hands, and starts using the tool to try to cut the middle of the rope around her wrists.

The smoke filling the room is getting thicker, and she tries to bury her face in her coveralls to protect herself as best as she can.

There’s not much more she can do.

* * *

“Oh, God,” Alyssa whispers as she crosses the airfield, staring in horror at the office building she works in, now engulfed in flames.

She sprints to a nearby phonebox usually reserved for crashes and screams hopefully-coherent instructions at the fire captain on the other end of the line. Then she looks at the buildings again.

All of the documents she’s been writing are in her office, burning or seconds from.

But the woman she loves might still be in the hanger.

Alyssa runs for the hanger.

* * *

Emma finally manages to cut herself loose, and she staggers to her feet.

She’s about to leave when something makes her pause.

A memory in the back of her mind, a small look, one of the many moments Alyssa thought she wasn’t paying attention.

Emma turns around and looks down at the bottom drawer.

She tries it once and realizes that it’s locked, so she unceremoniously jams her screwdriver into the top of the drawer and forces it open.

It only takes one look at the papers inside for her to realize what they are.

Emma folds the stack up and shoves them into one of the pockets of her coveralls, then ducks her head down and pushes open the door.

* * *

The fire hasn’t quite reached the hanger yet, the four planes her family’s company owns sitting untouched and undamaged.

_ “Emma!” _ Alyssa yells, running through the shop.  _ “EMMA!” _

She opens every door she sees, checking and double-checking, making sure she’s missed nothing.

Only when she’s satisfied that Emma isn’t in here does she go back outside.

When she does, she sees the door to the office building open, and Emma stumbles out of it, choking, her coveralls coated in soot and ash.

“Oh God,” Alyssa whispers.  _ “Em!” _

She runs across the field between the buildings until she gets to her, catching Emma just before she falls. Alyssa guides her away from the fire, holding her steady as she coughs.

“I went looking for you in the hanger,” Alyssa says, sitting down in the grass and guiding Emma down with her. She rests Emma’s head in her lap, examining the gash in her temple. “I didn’t think you’d be…” She trails off as her gaze lands on the ropes tied around Emma’s wrists. “What happened to you?”

“I don’t know,” Emma mumbles, her voice thick and woozy. “I remember being in the hanger saying goodbye to you, and then I remember waking up tied to the desk in your office with the building on fire.”

Alyssa looks up at a horrible creaking sound, and the top floor of her office building collapses in on itself. She shudders and holds Emma closer to her. “You’re okay, flyboy. You’re going to be okay. We’ll figure it out.”

Emma gives her a small grin, almost cocky, and it makes Alyssa’s heart flutter. “I did manage to remember one thing.”

“What would that be?”

Emma reaches into one of her pockets and pulls out some folded up papers. “I think these are yours, miss.”

“My articles.”

Emma nods.

_ “How?” _

“I remembered you looking at that drawer when you asked if I was happy with my job. I don’t know, something about it just… you seemed sad. A little lost. When you told me later what you really wanted to do, I guess, I don’t know, I put it together. Putting pieces together is my thing.”

Alyssa, tears in her eyes, leans down and kisses Emma, soft and slow.

Emma blinks up at her, a mixture of confusion and awe on her face. “What was that for?”

“You’re just… You’re you,” Alyssa murmurs. “And I really wanted to kiss you.”

“Can…” Emma swallows. “Can you do it again?”

Alyssa laughs and kisses her again, a bit harder and quicker. “You’ll get another when you aren’t bleeding and don’t taste like smoke, flyboy.”

Emma gives a strained laugh. “Fair enough.”

Alyssa looks up, watching as the fire reaches the hanger. “I don’t know what happens now,” she admits softly.

Emma closes her eyes as Alyssa softly cards her fingers through Emma’s hair. “You will.”


	8. Chapter 8

Emma runs a hand through her hair as she sits in the police station, a blanket wrapped over her shoulders.

“Can you run it all by me again, kid?” Dee Dee Allen asks, sitting across the table from her with a notepad.

“I really don’t know much.” Emma coughs, her lungs still tight, and Dee Dee pushes a glass of water to her. “Thank you.”

“It’s fine. Just go through what you remember.”

“I was finishing up my work in the hanger. I couldn’t… I couldn’t find the knife I needed to cut a few wires, so I went to look for it. The next thing I remember is waking up tied to Miss Greene’s desk with the building on fire.”

Dee Dee nods, jotting down a note. “You got out using a screwdriver from the desk?”

“Yeah, I had left her one to fix her typewriter with.”

“You didn’t leave it so you’d have an established escape plan when you set the fire?”

Emma chokes on her water and sets the glass down before she spills it. “Excuse me?”

Dee Dee folds her fingers in front of her on the table. “Miss Nolan, how do you feel about your job at Greene Aeronautics?”

“I-I love my job,” Emma stammers, baffled. “I’ve loved planes since I was a kid.”

“It doesn’t frustrate you that the planes you work on often lose their races?”

“It does a bit, but it’s mainly because the pilots won’t listen to me. They insist on modifications that won’t work with their racing styles, and they don’t care about my opinion on how to use their planes. At the end of the day, their losses are their own faults.”

“I would imagine that frustration like that could make a person rather bitter.”

Emma pauses before leaning forward. “Not bitter enough to risk my own life so I can burn down a building, if that’s what you’re implying.”

Dee Dee leans forward as well, her voice low. “It is what I’m implying.”

_ “Why?” _

Instead of answering, Dee Dee asks another question. “How do you feel about Alyssa Greene?”

Emma blinks. “She’s always been nice to me.”

“That’s a pretty evasive answer.”

“What else do you want me to say? She’s my boss and she’s always been a good one. I don’t feel anything specific about that.”

Dee Dee picks up her pen and taps it on her notepad. “The three pilots who work out of your office. Nicholas Boomer, Kevin Shields, Gregory Mitchell. They reported seeing you walking from the hanger to the offices right before the fire broke out. We also found your knife; it was used to break open the lock on the office door  _ and _ the lock on the storage room.”

Emma feels her blood run cold. “Which storage room?” she rasps.

“The one with the spare gasoline canisters.”

Emma sits back hard in her chair. “I didn’t do it. I swear to God I didn’t do it.”

* * *

“You’re absolutely positive that there’s no way Miss Nolan could’ve tied her wrists herself?” Barry Glickman asks, sitting across from Alyssa in another interview room.

“Of course I’m sure. It was  _ tight _ , and they were tied so close together that she was only able to get free because of how long the screwdriver was. She…” Alyssa pauses. “No. No. You think  _ Emma _ did this?”

“We’re just looking at all avenues,” Barry says calmly.

“Well you took a wrong turn,” Alyssa growls. “Emma would never.”

“Look, we have information from witnesses at the scene that have her entering the office before the fire started. We need to look into it.” Barry gives a soft sigh. “I also need to ask you about an accusation made against Miss Nolan, potential motive.”

“She doesn’t have a motive.”

“A few of your pilots suggested that she might’ve done it because you haven’t given her the attention she thinks she deserves.”

Alyssa gapes at him. “I- Pardon?”

“One of your pilots told us that he has seen Miss Nolan stare at you in a way he feels does not reflect platonic interest. It was indicated that Miss Nolan might have lashed out at your business as a way of hurting you because she couldn’t find another way to catch your attention, and putting herself in your office was part of that statement.”

“That’s ridiculous. Emma wouldn’t need to do that, and she knows it.” Alyssa’s hands tighten into fists. “Which one of those bastards claimed otherwise, because I swear to God I’ll knock his teeth out.”

“It’s probably best not to threaten someone during an interview with police, Miss Greene.”

Alyssa winces and looks down at the table. “Wait…”

“You remembered something?”

She looks back up. “You said they saw Emma go into the office before the fire started?”

Barry nods.

“Then Emma couldn’t have done it, because the hanger went up  _ after _ the office, and I was there. She couldn’t have had the time.”

There’s a small twitch in Barry’s jaw as he looks back down at his notes.

“...What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Miss Greene. In fact, I think you might’ve given a very important piece of information.”

* * *

Emma walks out of the police station, still covered in soot, exhausted. When the questions ended, they let her go, but she’s still not sure what that means.

_ “Emma!” _

She barely has time to look up before she’s grabbed in a firm hug.

“M’alright, Lys,” she murmurs. “For now, at least.”

Alyssa pulls back, cupping Emma’s face in her hands.

“They think I did it. I…” Emma bites her lip. “I know I have a gap in my memory, but I  _ know _ I would never do this. And if they try to say otherwise, they’ll have a fight on their hands.”

“I told them it wasn’t you. It  _ couldn’t _ have been. Em, the hanger fire had to have been set after you were already tied up in my office. This isn’t your fault, and I made sure they know that.”

Emma gives a soft sigh. “Thank you.”

Alyssa kisses her gently before looking her up and down. “Come home with me.”

She feels her face get hot. “What?”

“You’re a mess, and you’re tired, and you’ll never be able to get home like this. Let me help you. You can call your grandmother from my place.”

“What will your mother think?”

Alyssa scoffs. “She’ll probably be too concerned with why I’m letting anybody who’s as dirty as you are right now into the house to worry about anything else.”

Emma laughs. “Okay. Lead the way.”

* * *

When Alyssa opens her front door, she’s not expecting to be immediately hugged by her mother.

“Alyssa, thank God, I was so worried.” Mrs. Greene holds her close, her voice ragged. “They told me about the fire and told me you were safe, but I just couldn’t believe it until I saw you, but they said you were answering questions…”

“I’m fine, Mother.” Alyssa gives Mrs. Greene an awkward pat on the back. “Uhm, this is Emma, she’s our mechanic. She was in the fire, and it’ll take her so long to get home that I offered to let her stay here tonight. She needs a shower and a phone so she can let her grandmother know she’s okay.”

Mrs. Greene lets go of Alyssa so she can turn to Emma, but, to Alyssa’s surprise, the dismissive expression she’s expecting doesn’t appear. Instead, Mrs. Greene’s eyes widen slightly as she looks at Emma’s face. “Emma? What’s your last name?”

“Uhm. Nolan, ma’am.”

“Like Thomas Nolan?”

Emma blinks. “He was my grandfather.”

Mrs. Greene rests her hand on Emma’s shoulder, completely ignoring the grease and ash that immediately coat her palm. “You look like him,” she says quietly. She just stares at Emma for a moment before murmuring, “Poor thing, you look exhausted. Come with me.”

Alyssa just stands in the doorway, baffled, as her mother takes a confused Emma by the arm and leads her towards the stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

It’s still dark out when the door to the guest room Emma’s sleeping in opens slowly. She rubs at her eyes and puts her glasses on, frowning at Alyssa as she creeps in. “Alyssa? What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to see you.” Alyssa sits on the edge of Emma’s bed, playing with the sheets.

“Hey.” Emma reaches out, stilling Alyssa’s hand. “What’s the matter?”

Alyssa sets her palm against Emma’s cheek and gently rests her fingers against the bandage covering the gash on Emma’s head. “I knew something was wrong when you were late. And then when I got there and saw the fire, I… I thought I had lost you.” She lets out a shaky sigh. “I can’t lose you, Em.”

“You’re not going to. I’m a race pilot and a mechanic, Alyssa. I can handle a little fire.”

Alyssa gives a weak laugh. “The cocky flyboy is coming through.”

Emma blushes. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I like seeing it sometimes.” Alyssa leans forward and kisses her.

“I love you,” Emma mumbles against her lips.

“I love you, too.”

Emma bumps her forehead against Alyssa’s. “Go back to bed, baby. We had a long night. We’re tired. You need to sleep.”

“I haven’t been able to sleep,” Alyssa admits softly. “All I could think about was you.”

“Come here.” Emma nudges Alyssa and lifts the sheet before pulling her into the bed, wrapping her arms around her.

Alyssa gives a soft sigh as she settles her head against Emma’s sternum. “This is better.”

“You just need to remember to get back to your own room before your mother notices.”

She hears Alyssa laugh quietly. “It would definitely be for the best.”

* * *

Alyssa stops her car at the end of Emma’s driveway. “Thanks for putting up with my mother this morning. I wasn’t expecting her to want you to stay for breakfast.”

“Don’t apologize. I liked it.” Emma reaches over and takes Alyssa’s hand. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Would you be honest?”

“Yes.”

Emma swallows, idly playing with Alyssa’s fingers. “Are you sure I’m good enough for you?”

The question catches Alyssa so off-guard that she just stares, dumbfounded. Emma clearly takes the silence as an answer, because she starts to pull away before Alyssa tightens her grip.

“I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t you be good enough for me?”

Emma swallows again and sighs, looking out at the fields. “Lys, at the end of the day, no matter how good of a pilot I am, I’m just a poor farm mechanic at heart. It’s all I’ll ever be. I can’t give you more than that. I’m not sure I have it in me.”

Alyssa tucks her fingers under Emma’s chin and lifts her gaze to meet hers. “Emma Nolan, you have it in you to do anything. I know you do. And if a poor farm mechanic is what you are, that’s fine by me, because I’m in love with what you are.” She presses a soft, slow kiss to Emma lips, sinking in until Emma makes a helpless gasping sound. “Besides, flyboy. It’s not all on you. I’m in this, too. If you can’t give me something, I can earn it myself. We’re in this together.”

“Will you…” Emma shakes her head. “Never mind.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Dumb thought. It’s not important.”

Alyssa laughs and prods her in the stomach. “What was it?”

Emma grins and catches her hands. “Nothing.”

“What-”

Emma kisses her, more passion and fire behind it than any they’d previously shared, and Alyssa’s mind goes blank. She cards her fingers into Emma’s hair and uses her other hand to grip Emma’s borrowed shirt, pulling her in closer as the kiss deepens further.

When Emma pulls back, Alyssa, panting, rasps, “That’s not fair.”

Emma gives a breathless laugh. “I know.” She kisses Alyssa on the cheek and opens her car door. “I’ll see you later, Miss Greene.”

“You might’ve won the battle, flyboy, but you haven’t won the war.”

“We’ll see,” Emma says with a wink as she shuts the door and heads down the driveway towards the farmhouse.

As Alyssa watches her go, only one thought lingers in her mind.

She’ll never be in love with anyone the way she’s in love with Emma Nolan.

* * *

  
Emma walks through the ruins of the hanger, picking up mangled pieces of her work. She crouches down, looking at her melted toolbox, and mutters, “Son of a bitch.”

“What are you doing here?”

She grabs a blackened crowbar and spins as she stands, stopping only when she recognizes Mrs. Greene. “Oh.” She tosses the crowbar aside. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ve been a bit jumpy since the fire.”

“Understandable. I heard someone tied you up in it.” Mrs. Greene picks her way through the rubble until she’s standing near Emma. “I’d be jumpy, too.”

Emma looks around and shakes her head. “To speak frankly, ma’am, I loved this place. I loved these planes. This hurts more than the head wound.”

“I’m sure it doesn’t seem like it, but I know the feeling.” Mrs. Greene brushes her hand over a piece of a wall that’s still standing. “I’m a businesswoman, Miss Nolan, and I’ve always expected my daughter to be one as well. I built my company so that she didn’t have to, but she’s insisted on putting her own work in. I suppose I shouldn’t really be surprised. She doesn’t want to be handed something.”

“No, ma’am,” Emma says quietly. “I don’t think she does.”

Mrs. Greene gives a soft laugh. “I shouldn’t be surprised that she fell in love with some hotshot grease monkey pilot, either.”

Emma stomach plummets to her feet, and she clears her throat. “What do you mean?”

“Miss Nolan, I’m not a fool. All those nights Alyssa’s been coming home late. The way she looks at you. How worried she was.” Mrs. Greene shakes her head. “I won’t make you say it. It’s okay.” She glances down at her watch and sighs. “I suppose I should be getting home.”

“Wait.” Emma takes a small step towards her. “I, uhm, I’m not… You called me a pilot.”

Mrs. Greene smiles slightly. “Like I said, Miss Nolan, I’m not a fool. The moment I knew your name, I knew who you were. You fly the same way Thomas did when he was on our crew.”

Emma gapes at her. “My… My grandfather didn’t race.”

“Most people didn’t know. He didn’t like the attention. I suppose you have more than a few things in common with him.”

Emma reaches forward and grabs Mrs. Greene’s arms. “Please,” she says, desperate. “Please, don’t tell them. I’m not a cheater, but the race league will assume I am. They’ll demand the winnings back, and I can’t do that, I can’t, please ma’am, I’m begging you.”

“Whoa, whoa.” Mrs. Greene steadies her, looking alarmed. “Calm down. I’m not planning on telling anyone anything. What do you even need the money for so badly?”

Emma bows her head, her whole body trembling. “It’s stupid,” she whispers.

“Are you… Have you been gambling?”

_ “No.” _ Emma looks back up quickly. “God, no. Not me, at least.”

Mrs. Greene pales. “Alyssa-”

“Oh. No. No no no. My…” Emma swallows, voice hoarse. “My mother.”

“Your... She’s here?”

“She  _ was,” _ Emma says miserably, her grip slipping from Mrs. Greene’s arms. “Talked her way into my grandmother’s home. Said she made a mistake dumping me. My grandmother isn’t a pushover, but she wanted me to have the chance to know my mother, so she had a moment of weakness. And my…  _ that woman _ used it to take a loan against my grandmother’s farm to pay off her own debts, and then she just. Left. The banks had nobody to come after but us.”

Mrs. Greene just looks at her for a long moment. “Miss Nolan, I’m not going to tell the race officials who you are. You’re going to tell them yourself.”

Emma pales. “I can’t. My grandmother will lose everything.”

“That plane you fly. It was your grandfather’s, wasn’t it?”

“...Yes.”

“Then you’re not losing a thing.”

* * *

  
“Miss Greene?”

Alyssa looks up as a man enters her mother’s office, a folder in one hand and a briefcase in the other. “Can I help you?”

“I’m Mr. Saperstein, from the insurance office. I was looking for your mother.”

“She’s out surveying the damage. Is there anything I can do?”

He shakes his head and sets the folder on the desk. “Just make sure she takes a look through that before we talk. The police are thinking arson, so that will need to be resolved before we can pay for the damage.”

Alyssa nods absentmindedly as she flips the folder open, her eyes scanning the page. “Wait,” she says before he can leave. “This says the planes are insured to the pilots.”

“Yes, that’s correct. Your parents felt that every plane should be insured directly to its pilot so that, in the event of an accident, the pilot had money to pay for any injury.” Mr. Saperstein pauses. “Is there anything else?”

“No. No thank you.” Alyssa stares down at the documents, mind spinning. “Son of a bitch,” she whispers, before heading for the door.


	10. Chapter 10

Emma leans against the doorframe of her grandmother’s kitchen, watching her as she cooks. “Hey, Gran?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“You know I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, right?”

Betsy pauses and turns around, frowning. “Of course. What’s brought this on?”

“...I don’t know. I just feel like I need to say it again.” She takes in a breath. “If anything ever happened to me, I want you to know something. I’ve been stashing money away. There’s a box hidden under the floorboard next to my dresser, a suitcase under a false floor in my closet, and some jars buried around that old hanger Grandpa used out on the property. It should be enough.”

Now looking worried, Betsy puts her spoon down and walks over to her, taking her face in her hands. “Child, what on Earth has gotten into you? Is this because of the fire?”

Emma shrugs and shakes her head. “I-I don’t know, Gran. I just have a really bad feeling.”

Betsy kisses her on the forehead. “Don’t pay it any mind, sweetheart. You’ll be around to bring me stress for the rest of my life.”

Emma gives her a strained smile as she goes back to the kitchen.

* * *

While they await new planes, Nick, Kevin, and Greg have been set up in a secondary hanger on the Greene Aeronautics airfield. When Alyssa walks in, they’re sitting at a small table, playing cards.

“Hey, boss,” Nick greets calmly. “Don’t worry; we’re on break.”

Kevin snickers. “Not that we have anything to fly, anyway.”

Greg just looks up slowly and says nothing.

“Breaks are fine.” Alyssa slides her hands into the pockets of her dress. “Have you three put any further thought into the kinds of planes you think would work best to replace the ones that were lost in the accident?”

Nick snorts. “Accident? Is that what the police told you?”

She plays dumb and raises an eyebrow. “You think it wasn’t?”

Greg’s jaw tightens as Kevin shrugs and says, “It seems pretty obvious. And if it’s pretty obvious, I think it’s also pretty clear who would’ve done it.”

“That so? Who?”

“Nolan,” Nick replies.

Alyssa can’t help the scoff of disbelief. “She wouldn’t.”

“Boss, forgive me, but you really can’t be that naive.” Kevin sets his cards down. “She’s the perfect suspect. Has access to everything, is obsessed with you, was there that night, plus, she’s weird.”

“Yes,” Alyssa says cooly. “I would imagine you  _ would _ find her to be the perfect suspect for you.”

Kevin opens her mouth to say something else, but Greg kicks him.

“What did you need, Miss Greene?” Greg asks, his voice quiet.

Anger and impulsiveness override her reason. “Not much. I just wanted to know why you lit my company on fire.”

Three identical pale looks of horrified fear would’ve been funny if Nick hadn’t immediately grabbed a tire iron from a nearby pile of salvaged tools and stood up from the table.

“Whoa, Boomer, hold on a second.” Greg stands, his hands raised. “Don’t be stupid.”

“We don’t have the  _ money yet, _ Mitchell,” he snarls. “If she reports us to the cops, we’re screwed.”

Kevin stays seated in his chair, watching as Alyssa takes a small step backwards. “First of all, Nick, you might want to grab her before she runs.”

Nick glances back at Alyssa, looking irritated as he grabs her arm in a grip so tight she knows it’ll bruise.”

“Second of all, she’s a Greene. She  _ has _ money. We can just ransom her back to her mother.”

“Yeah, you came up with the arson plan  _ and  _ the ‘frame Nolan’ plan, and look how well those worked out,” Greg grumbles.

_ “I’m _ coming up with the plan this time,” Nick snaps.

“All you do is get pissed off and kick furniture around!”

Nick’s grip on Alyssa gets even tighter as he points at Greg with the tire iron. “Oh, do  _ you _ have a plan, asshole?”

“Maybe I-”

“Nick, are you ready for lunch, I thought you…”

Everything in the room freezes as Kaylee walks into the hanger, her voice trailing off as she slowly takes in the scene in front of her.

For a guilty split-second, Alyssa actually wonders if her friend is a part of this, too.

Then, clearly confused, Kaylee asks, “What the hell is going on in here?”

“Greg,” Nick says calmly. “Take Alyssa.”

“Kaylee, get out of here,” Alyssa says quickly as Greg grabs both of her arms and pulls them behind her back. “Kaylee,  _ go!” _

The confusion and shock has her frozen in place as Nick walks towards her, smiling. “Hey, baby. Don’t worry about it. Everything’s fine.”

“...Nick… Everything does not look fine.”

“Yeah, well.” He grabs her arm and pulls her in close. “You’re fun, but I’m not dying for you. Why don’t you take a seat?”

“Wait a second. Wait a second,” Alyssa says as Nick drags Kaylee towards one of the chairs. “I can get you money a different way. A faster way.”

Nick snorts. “Yeah? How?”

Alyssa swallows. “Just one phone call.”

* * *

Emma lies on her bed, staring at the papers Mrs. Greene gave her.

She needs to talk to Alyssa about it. She knows she does. She just needs to figure out how she feels about it, first.

When the phone rings, she almost doesn’t hear it, caught up in her own thoughts.

_ “Emma! Could you get that?” _

She scrambles out of her room and downstairs to the phone, picking it up and setting it against her ear. “Nolan Residence.”

What she hears confirms what she’s been feeling all day.

Something bad is going to happen.

* * *

Alyssa closes her eyes and rests her head back, trying to think.

“This would probably be a bad time to tell him that I was going to officially break up with him today, huh?”

She opens her eyes again and looks at Kaylee, who’s watching Nick pace back and forth. “What?”

“I mean, we already kinda did, but he’s hot so it’s always been a little bit difficult to make that final definite, but I think I’m in love with somebody else, so I was going to go to lunch with him today to make it definite.” Kaylee narrows her eyes as he breaks a piece of wood with the tire iron he’s holding. “I think it’s a bad idea to tell him that.”

“I’d say so, yes.”

Kaylee fidgets with the ropes tied around her. “What the hell are they so angry about? I’ve seen Nick mad, but I’ve never seen him like this.”

“They need money for something. They didn’t tell me what.” Alyssa swallows. “They set the fire the other night.”

She watches Kaylee pale. “The one that almost killed your mechanic friend? Uh, Emma, right?”

“Yeah,” Alyssa rasps.

“Jesus, Lys.” Kaylee flinches as Nick breaks something else. “Who did you call?”

Alyssa gives a thin smile. “A friend.”

* * *

Emma doesn’t quite know what to expect when she walks into the hanger, but it isn’t what she finds.

She’s thankful that Alyssa had called her as the pilot of the Cobalt Echo. The security of her helmet makes her feel less nervous when Nick rounds on her, wild-eyed, waving a tire iron around like it’s a sword.

“Well,” he growls. “I thought Greene was bluffing. But here you are.”

“Here I am.” Emma tosses an old bag to him. “You want money, there’s money.”

“How much?”

“About a whole season of races worth.”

Kevin shakes his head and steps forward, opening the bag and looking inside. “It’s not enough.”

_ “Not enough?” _ Emma gives an incredulous scoff. “What the fuck did you morons get yourselves into?”

“We didn’t get ourselves into anything,” Nick says. “It’s what  _ you _ got us into.”

Emma is silent for a moment, baffled. “Me?”

Greg shrugs. “At first it was just fun bets. More challenges for ourselves. Bet on our own planes, see if we could make it happen. Then we realized we’d get more money if we colluded, if we made sure Nick won and I came in second and Kevin came in third, and bet on that exact outcome. But the people we were making bets with weren’t too fond of our game, so they enforced a new plan. They told us where we’d place based on that day’s odds, and we’d do as we were told.”

“It all worked out fine,” Kevin says quietly. “Until you showed up and screwed us over.”

Alyssa laughs. “Because you couldn’t beat the Cobalt Echo. The odds would’ve gotten you more money if you had, so that’s what your bosses wanted, but you couldn’t produce.”

“I told them I could do it,” Nick murmurs. “Told them that if they just kept betting on me, I’d win. But you just refused to lose like you’re supposed to.”

“I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not,” Emma says. “You’re an arrogant fool who couldn’t stop while he was already behind.”

She should be expecting it, but she’s not.

_ “DON’T!” _ Alyssa screams as the hand that Nick’s using to hold the tire iron swings up, cracking Emma hard on the side of her helmet.

Once again, she’s thankful she’s wearing it as she stumbles, the item made to protect her during a crash. But even it can’t stop her ears from ringing, her vision from momentarily blurring, her entire head from aching.

Without even thinking it through, she pulls her helmet off and drops it to the floor, dazed.

* * *

“Oh, God,” Alyssa whispers, her eyes wide as Emma’s face suddenly becomes visible.

“Holy shit, Alyssa,” Kaylee murmurs. “Isn’t that your mechanic?”

Alyssa doesn’t answer. She doesn’t know what to do. There’s  _ nothing _ she can do.

All she knows is that whatever instinct told her to call Emma was absolutely wrong.

Nick stares as Emma puts a hand to her head, clearly disoriented. “You,” he says, his tone dangerously soft. “All this time, it was you.” He laughs quietly and glances behind him at Kevin and Greg, who are slowly walking forward. “Working on our planes. Competing against our planes.” He shakes his head and looks at her. “That’s how you did it, isn’t it? You made our planes weaker than yours and laughed all the way to the bank.”

“I would never.” Emma straightens, her eyes hard even as she wavers a bit on her feet. “I’m just a better pilot.”

Nick brings his arm up again, and Alyssa cringes, but Kevin grabs his wrist. “If you hit her with that again, you’ll just kill her.”

Nick lowers his arm slowly. “At the moment, I’m pretty sure I  _ want _ to kill her,” he growls.

“Sure.” Kevin grabs the collar of Emma’s flight jacket, dragging her towards the table. “But killing her in one hit isn’t good enough for her.” He slams her onto the top of it, so hard that Alyssa winces. “She’s the reason the bookies aren’t making money. Maybe we can pay off some of our debt with her.”

Greg frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Hand her over to them so they can do whatever they want to the person cheating them out of money? It’s gotta earn us  _ something.” _

“I gotta say,” Emma mutters. “You’re smarter than I thought you were, Shields.”

Kevin grins. “Yeah, it’s usually how I get away with it.”

“Please,” Alyssa says quickly. “Please, I can get more money. If what Emma brought isn’t enough, I can get more.  _ Please. _ Please don’t hurt her.”

“Don’t worry, Lys. He’s not going to. It’s been long enough.”

Kevin glares down at Emma. “Long enough for what?”

Greg goes white. “Do you guys hear sirens?”

Alyssa almost shakes her head, until there, in the distance, she hears the distinct sound of approaching police cars.

Emma grins up at Kevin. “I might be a cocky bastard, but I’m not an arrogant fool. I know when to get out before it’s too late. Too bad you don’t.”


	11. Chapter 11

Emma winces as Alyssa takes her head in her hands. “If you’re going to yell at me, can you keep it at a low voice? I think my ears are still ringing.”

“I promise as long as you promise to avoid further head trauma.” Alyssa presses a soft kiss to Emma’s brow. “When I saw that blow make contact, I-I…”

“Hey.” Emma reaches up, setting her hands on top of Alyssa’s. “I’m fine. And I wouldn’t have come in if I wasn’t prepared to  _ not _ be fine.”

Alyssa laughs. “That doesn’t really make me feel better, flyboy.”

“I know.” Emma slides one of Alyssa’s hands around and presses a kiss to her palm. “But I mean it. I wasn’t going to leave you in there when I knew you were in trouble.”

“It’s funny,” Alyssa says softly. “Most days, I only see the mechanic. Which, don’t get me wrong, I’m more than fine with. She’s the first one I fell in love with. But don’t doubt that the pilot is you, too, Emma Nolan. The mechanic in you was smart enough to call the cops. The pilot was bold enough to come for me yourself.”

Emma swallows and smiles. “I-I know we’re in public, Alyssa, but… Can I kiss you?”

Alyssa grins. “I really hope you would.”

* * *

While Emma gets checked over by medics and interviewed by police - a habit Alyssa is positive they need to break - Alyssa heads over to find Kaylee, currently lost in a tight hug from Shelby.

“Shel,” Kaylee almost laughs, her voice strained. “I’m fine.”

“Just don’t do that to me again.” Shelby spots Alyssa and lets Kaylee go just a little bit too quickly, nervously rubbing the back of her neck.

“Hey,” Alyssa greets as she joins them. “Kaylee, I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”

“Don’t be. It was my idiot bo-  _ ex- _ boyfriend who got me into it.”

“I’m glad Kevin was only ever an occasional date,” Shelby mutters. “I would’ve had to kill him.”

Kaylee gets waved over by Barry Glickman for an interview, and she heads off.

Alyssa watches her go, silent for a moment. “When I asked you if you’d ever had feelings for another woman and you fumbled before you said no,” she says slowly. “It’s Kaylee, isn’t it?”

Shelby sighs heavily. “It’s always been Kaylee.”

She doesn’t quite know what to say, so, instead, she just sets her hand on Shelby’s shoulder and squeezes.

“And you?” Shelby prompts softly. “The reason you asked. It’s Emma.”

Alyssa gives a quiet laugh. “I think it was Emma long before I ever knew what  _ it _ was.”

“Good for you, Greene.”

Alyssa looks at Kaylee a few yards away, remembers what she had said about her reasons for wanting to firmly end things with Nick. “I think things will be good for both of us, Gonzales.”

* * *

Mrs. Greene is seated at her desk working on paperwork when Emma knocks on the doorframe. “Miss Nolan. Please, come in.”

Emma walks a few steps into the room and stands in front of the desk, unsure of what to do with her hands until she gives up and puts them in her pockets.

“You’re welcome to sit.”

“I would prefer to stand for this conversation, if it’s all the same to you, ma’am.”

Mrs. Greene looks disappointed as she leans back in her chair. “You’re turning down my offer.”

Emma shakes her head. “No, ma’am. I’d very much like to take it.”

“...But?”

“But it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t talk it through with Alyssa first, and I haven’t had a chance to do that.”

“A noble enough reason. What’s the purpose of your visit, then?”

Emma swallows and takes her hands back out of their pockets, suddenly wishing she had put on her suit. She felt out of place. “I-I…” She clears her throat. “Ma’am, I’d like your blessing to ask your daughter to marry me.”

Mrs. Greene’s expression is unreadable as she stands and goes over to look out the window. “I presume you asked for a blessing, not permission, because you know Alyssa is her own person regardless of her upbringing.”

It’s not a question, but Emma still feels compelled to say, “Yes, ma’am.”

After an unbearably long silence, Mrs. Greene says, “When she was younger, I thought Alyssa would marry someone wealthy, or important. Someone who could continue to give her more than what her father and I had to struggle to make for ourselves.”

Emma swallows again and bows her head.

“The older she’s gotten, the more I’ve come to realize that it’s not what she wants. She’s no fool. She’ll accept money. But when it comes to life, she wants to make one for herself. A mechanic would be good for that, I’d think.”

Emma lifts her head again, startled to see that Mrs. Greene has turned around, a soft look on her face. “What?”

“If my daughter says yes to you, Miss Nolan, you have my blessing to marry her.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Emma says, her voice hoarse with disbelief.

“Do you have a ring yet?”

Emma shakes her head. “I, uh, it’s not that I haven’t been looking, but I had to check what money I have first.”

“Hm. Wait here.”

Mrs. Greene walks past her, out of the room, and Emma stands still, completely bewildered.

* * *

Alyssa paces the graveyard, excitement bubbling through her.

She can’t wait for Emma. She needs to talk to her, and the sooner the better.

“I guess we’ll have to find a better place to meet now that we don’t need to sneak around.”

Alyssa spins on her heel and grins at Emma, standing a few feet away in the same suit she went to the winter social in. “Emma.” She runs to her and tackles her in a hug, squeezing her.

Emma pats her on the back, clearly startled. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Nothing’s wrong at all.” Alyssa pulls back and kisses her. “My article is going to be published.”

“What? Really?”

“The paper wants me to restructure it a bit. Write about the races, the overlap with gambling and how your talent drove my own pilots to crime. It’s not exactly how I thought my words would start to get out there, but Em, it’s a  _ start.” _

Emma grins and hugs her. “Once they see how great you are, there won’t be any stopping you.”

“God, I hope so.”

Emma kisses her on the cheek and takes a step, holding Alyssa’s hands, and Alyssa can tell that she’s switched to nervous. “I, uh, I might have myself a new job, too.”

Alyssa feels herself go pale. “You’re… You’d leave?”

“Not exactly.” Emma brushes her thumbs against the backs of Alyssa’s palms. “Your mother offered me a job as a pilot with Greene Aeronautics. After the mess with the boys, she bumped it to chief pilot. It’s a hell of a pay raise, and she gave me permission to do the grunt work on my own plane, so I wouldn’t have to let go of the other part of me, either.”

Alyssa’s eyes widen. “She wants you to fly for us? She… Hold on, she knows who you are?”

“She said she knew the moment she knew my name. Apparently my grandfather used to fly in secret just like I do. He flew for your parents. I… Your mother knows a  _ lot,  _ actually, very little of which I told her. She’s scary.” Emma kisses Alyssa lightly before continuing. “I fly his plane, Lys. It was still registered to your company when he died. If your mom takes responsibility for me, the race organizations won’t have any grounds to take back my winnings. I’ll be free to help my family like I promised.”

“Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ to this statement?”

Emma smiles. “Because I won’t take any of it if you don’t want me to.”

Alyssa stares at her, mind blank, waiting for Emma to start laughing. When she doesn’t, Alyssa says, “Why wouldn’t I want you to?”

“I’d be flying even more. For you and your mother.” Emma shrugs. “And at the end of the day, I want us to make decisions together.”

Her confusion softens, and she presses a kiss to Emma’s cheek. “Do you want this?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

“Then do it. And unless there’s a damn good reason, I’ll be at every race.”

Emma grins. “I should hope so, Miss Greene.”

* * *

Emma closes her eyes as they sit in the grass, a soft breeze brushing over them in the glow of the moonlight. “I love you,” she whispers.

Alyssa turns her head and kisses the underside of Emma’s jaw. “I love you, too.”

Her voice still soft, Emma says, “Do you know how much you mean to me? How much you’ve always mattered to me?”

There’s a quiet laugh in Alyssa’s tone. “Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t. Why don’t you tell me, flyboy?”

“I remember the first time you walked into the hanger while I was working on one of the planes. Dammit, I almost put a screwdriver through my hand, I couldn’t stop staring. Your looks caught me first, I’m not embarrassed to admit it, but then you spoke to me, and… You were  _ smart _ and  _ kind _ and  _ funny. _ Never once in my life have I ever met a woman like you. A part of me hated how much I was falling in love with you, because I convinced myself that you’d never let me touch you, let alone care about you like that.”

“You were working on Greg’s plane,” Alyssa murmurs. “All grimy and sweaty. I’m not so prim and proper that I won’t admit that you were the hottest person I’d ever seen, up working on that engine. I didn’t understand any of what I was feeling. Not until the night of the social when I met you back at the hanger and I was wiping the grease off your neck. I can’t really explain it, but it was like something just… clicked. I knew I loved you. I knew I’d never stop loving you.”

“I’m glad.” Emma reaches into her pocket and sets the small box on Alyssa’s knee. “I’m hoping you’ll let me love you for the rest of our lives.”

She feels Alyssa freeze, just briefly, before she takes the box and opens it. “My grandmother’s ring,” she breathes. “But… But how did… What…”

“I asked for your mother’s blessing, and she gave it. She gave me a ring, too.”

Alyssa looks up at her with wide eyes. “Em, I… Are you asking me…”

Emma smiles. “Yeah, Lys. I’m asking you to marry me.”

Alyssa grabs the back of her neck and kisses her so hard that it knocks them over, sending Emma sprawling in the grass with Alyssa on top of her.

Emma splutters out a laugh as Alyssa just keeps kissing her. “I… Is… Hold on a second… Is this a yes or not?”

“What do you  _ think, _ flyboy?”

“Well, I was assuming it was a yes, but I didn’t want to be too cocky.”

Alyssa laughs. “I like it when you’re cocky. And I also like when you’re sweet. How do you manage to do both so well?”

Emma shrugs. “One of the mysteries of me, I guess.”

Alyssa grins and holds the box up again, looking at the ring as it sparkles in the pale light. “Good thing I have a lot of time to work on figuring it out.”

“First one to your car gets final say on what kind of house we get.”

Alyssa blinks, startled. “What?”

“I figured out how much money I have. It’s enough to pay off the loan, ensure my grandmother’s retirement, and, if you’d like, build another house on the property just for us.”

“Oh, God, Emma.” Alyssa kisses her softly. “I’d absolutely like that.”

“Great. So I repeat, first one to the car gets to pick what house we build.”

“What-”

Emma jumps to her feet, unceremoniously sliding Alyssa into the grass. She pauses, giving Alyssa some time to catch up to what’s happening, then she laughs as she takes off at a run towards the parking lot.

_ “Emma Nolan!” _ Alyssa yells, unable to hide her amusement as she closes the ring box, tightens her grip on it, and races after the woman she loves.


End file.
